Mail-bag-receiving and delivering device.



W. W. KILPATRICK. MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVBRING DEVICE. APPLIOATIDN FILED 1111.20, 1910.

984,378. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ffl@ .vonnis rrrsns co1. wAsmNurqn. u. c.

W. YW. KILPATRIGK.

MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

AYPLIOATION FILED JAN. 20, 1910.

984,378. Patented Feb.14,1911

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J2 Sme/whoa fus Nolmls Psrlks co.. wAnrNomN. n. c.

W. W. K1L1 ATR1GK. MAIL BAG RECEIVING AND DBLIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1910.

984,878. Patented Feb.14,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1n: Nonni: Prins co.. mumrmfon, n1 c WALTER W. KILPATRICK, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

MAIL-BAG RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14:, 1911.

Application filed January 20, 1910. Serial No. 539,111.

To all whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, VVaUrnn lV. Kincarnron, a citizen ot the United States, resid ing at Atlanta, in the county 't Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Maildlag Receiving and Delivering Devices, ot' which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to means on a mail .r ot' a train tor catching and discharging mail bags while the train is in motion.

lt relates particularly to mechanism which will operate automatically without compelling the mail Clerk to have the door o'l his car open when catching mail bags.

lt has for its object the simplification oit' the construction and the arrangement ol? the mechanism whereby it will not only be automatic in operation, but will operate with ease, accuracy and certainty, and will not interliere with the action ot the a-irl brakes oit the train.

A further object .is to provide for the operation either autonlatically or manually, without holding any door oit the car open, to have the automatic operation under control ot the mail clerk, and to provide a signal to indicate when the operation takes place.

Some ot' the features ot' my invention are not limited to use with automatic mechanism.

The novel features will be aliparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings,-Fignre l is a side View partly in section ot a. portion olf an ordinary mail car having my invention applied there o; Fig. i? is a cross section on the line 22 ol Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a plan View oit what is shown in Fig. l with the root of the car removed; Fig. 4t is a detail sectional View oit the discharge chute for mail bags; F ig. 5 is a. detail sectional View of the rotary bearing ttor the mail catching arm; and Fig (S is a detail view ol the mail chute showing its hinged construction.

As will be seen loy reference to these drawings, my invention may he applied to an ordinary mail car l mounted on the ordinary trucks 2, traveling on the track 3. The car is provided with the ordinary side door t, at the outside of which there is mounted the mail bag catching` arm 5. This arm 5 is secured to a shat't G mounted in rotary bearings 7, 8, which beariilgs turn in the brackets t), l() secured to the outer edge o'l. the door facing. The sha't't 6 enters longitudinal openings in the bearii'lgs 7, 8, and as will appear Afrom lt`ig. 5, the opening in bearing T is ol a cross section other than circular, so that the shaft t3 will necessarily turn with the bearing. The shaftt may be inserted in and removed .trom the bearings by longitudinal movement, but'. at the end entering the bearino 7 it preferably makes contactI with some tixed part. of the bearing as by the shoulder 11, since the it'orce ot' the mail bag in heilig' received will tend to carry the sha't't in that direction. The sha'tit may be secured in place by a set screw 12 and it is preferably provided with the spring arm lil to hold the bag after it is received by the arm 5.

lt will be seen by rc'l'ereilce to Fig. l that when the mail bag is caught by the arm 5 it will push the arm 13 inward against the tension oit the spring 1 4- so as to permit the bag to pass, and the arm 1,3 will then turn to normal position holding the bag in place. l preili'crably use on the sha'l't G and connected to the arm a pivoted handle 15 by which the arm may be turned manually into operative position. The handle is mado with the hinge as shown, so that it can be turned down parallel to the shalt (l, and out oi the way of the closed door when the arm is to be operated automatically.

In order to discharge a mail bag lrom the car I malte use oit' an opening 16 in the side wall terminating preferably at the Hoor which is normally closed by a door 17 hinged'at the bottom edge o'l the opening and havingthe vertical side flanges 1S which enter the opening at its edges. Surroundillg the opening 1G on the inside oi the car VI place a chute to receive the mail bag, this chute being composed of the inner wall 1S) which is inclined 'from the .lower edge of the opening upwardly and outwardly so as to l'orm a tapering receptacle it'or the bag and the side walls 20, which are of V-shape. This lorms ay tapering` chute into the upper end ot which the mail bag` may be thrown, and it is preterably ol such height and so placed as to be within convenientl reach ot the mail clerk standing at his table. It may be provided with a cover or it may the table used by the mail clerk, and it will be observed that when the bag is in this chute it will rest normally against the closed door 1T, tending` to push that door open. Willen the door 17, is open, as shown in Figi 4, it constitutes a chute downwardly inclined from the bottom of the opening so that the bag will slide out through it and be discharged automatically at some distance from the edge of the car. The wall 19 is preferably hinged at its bottom and sides, and the side walls 20 are preferably hinged and formed in two sections divided on the line 21 so that the chute may be folded up against the side of the car out of the way, and so as to close the opening 16 when the chute is in use. 1n place of holding the chute as indicated it may of course simply be removed and it is fastened in place in such a way that this can be easily done.

1n the mail bag receiving devices in most common use the mail clerk opens the door of his car before he reaches the station where he intends to collect mail, and he manually turns the mail bag receiving arm up into operative position and stands ready to take in the bag when it is caught. My device is intended among other things to avoid the necessity of thus opening the door and to provide effective means for operating the arm automatically without opening the door. preferably use the same means for operating the arm and the mail bag discharging device so that they will work together. As shown, this means consists of a series of levers connected to be operated by a single motor which is in turn operated by air pressure rllhe motor shown is in the form of a cylin der 22 which may be placed in convenient position either beneath the car or at its end out of the way, and there is a piston 23 working in this cylinder and carrying on its upper side the piston rod 24. A spring 25 tends normally to hold the piston in its lowered position, while air pressure admitted through pipe 26 will raise the piston. The pipe 26 may be connected to any suitable source of air pressure, but 1 find that it is not well to connect it with the air brake system since this interferes with the operation of the air brakes. 1 preferably connect it with the signal system of the train since the operation of the signal at the time of collecting a mail bag would be understood by the engineer as due to the automatic mail bag catching device and as not the signal of the conductor.

The pipe 26 below the car is connected to a flexible section 37 which is in turn connected to the valve mechanism 2S hereinafter described. A similaiflexible section 29 connects the valve chamber with the pipe 30 leading to the source of supply. rThe cylinder 22 has a side opening 31 which will be be placed beneath y exposed to the air pressure beneath the piston after the piston has been raised to a point near its upper or operative position, and there is a whistle 32 connected with the opening 3l so that a signal will be given to the mail clerk when the piston rod 24 is pushed up to operate the mail bag` catching and delivering devices. The spring 25 is sufficiently strong to push the piston 23 back to its lower position when the air pressure beneath it is removed, so that the operating parts of the mail bag catching and delivering devices will be returned to their normal position after each operation.

1n order to operate the above mentioned motor automatically 1 make use of a valve 33 moving up and down in a chamber in the casing 23, and having connected to its lower side the shaft 34 carrying the shoe 35. Springs 36 and 3T tend to hold the valve 33 in normal position, which position is opposite the pipe connections 33, 39 so that Ythe pressure of the air pipe 20 cannot pass the valve and enter the pipe 2T or the cylinder 22. in order to open the valve so as to permit air pr :sure to enter the cylinder the third rail 40 is placed by the side of the track so that it will be struck by the shoe 35, thus elevating the valve 33 and opening the connections 33, 39. rEhe casing 23 being secured to the car truck 2 will have no motion in relation to the third rail and consequently the elevation of the valve 33 will open the passage for the air.

1n order to prevent the accidental operation of the automatic mail bag discharging device by some obstruction which may strike the shoe 35 as does the third rail, and in order to prevent an intentional @aeration of the device between stations by a party intending to rob the mails, 1 make use of a bypass 41 connected to the pipe 26 below the cylinder 22 and provide said by-pass with a valve 42 which is preferably placed in the car within convenient reach of the mail clerk. By opening the valve 42 the air pressure which may be admitted into the pipe will escape through the pipe 41 and consequently will not raise the piston 23. 13et-veen stations therefore the mail clerk may leave the valve 42 open, and close it only as he is approaching the point where a mail bag is to be received or discharged.

rlho piston rod 24 of the motor is connected by a link 43 to an arm 44 on a shaft 45 which is preferably out of the way in the roof of the car, and each operation of the piston will therefore rotate the shaft 45. 1n order to operate the mail catching arm 5 from this shaft 45 1 make use of the link 46 connected thereto by the arm 47 and connected at its opposite end to the elbow lever 43 pivoted at 49 and connect this elbow lever to an arm 50 on the rotary bearing l' by a link 5l. The rotation ofthe shaft 45 therefore through this link connection will turn the bearing 7 and consequently the shaft G and arm 5 until the arm 5 occupies a horiontal position projecting from the car ready to receive the mail bag'. This mechanism is substantially the same on both sides ot' the car, and the levers and links are of such form that practically all of them may be within the wall of the car out oit sight. The door 17 has secured thereto a link 52 conneeted to the rock shaft 53 which is connected to link 54 connected to an elbow lever 55 connected to the link 56, which is pivotally secured at one end to the arm 57 on the shaft 45. In normal operation with the piston in its lower position the link connection will hold the door 17 in closed position, even against the Weight of the mail bag in the chute. l/Vhen, however, the piston is elevated and the shaft ll5 is turned, the door 17 will be turned to its lowered position, as shown in Fig'. 4t, whereby the mail bag will be disehargcrfl.

It may sometimes happen that the automatic .mechanism above described it'or op erating' the receiving` and discharging means may be out of Vtix or the supply of compressed air may fail, and in such cases it is desirable to have some means of operating the device manually. In order to accomplish this I connect a link 58 to the upper end of the rock shaitt '3. and to a lever 59 pivotally mounted at 60 near the floor of the car. This lever' 59 may be operated by the handle 6l or by the pedal near the floor. The mechanism is such that even when operating the device by hand or by :toot it is not necessary for the mail clerk to open the door oit' his car except after the mail bag' has been caught, and he then opens it only long' enough to pull in the bag'.

It will be understood that ordinarily the mail clerk may be required to use only one side o t his car for collecting mail as in the case of double track roads, and in that ease he may disconnect the mechanism on one side of the car by simply removing one of the pivot pins in the link connection which operates the mail receiving' arm and the mail delivering door.

IVhere the cylinder for operating' my device receives its supply of compressed air from the signal pipe o't' the train, I preferably make use of a special air chamber or drum on the car ior the storage of sufficient a under pressure to operate my device, and I place a check valve in the cross-over pipe which supplies this chamber from the signal pipe, so that the operation of my device will not so reduce the pressure in the signal sys tem as to prevent operation ot the signals in'nnediately after my device has operated.

Having' thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In a device of the class described, the

combiinirtion with a car having an opening in the side wall thereof, of a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening, means 'tor supporting a mail bag within the ear resting against said door, and means for releasing said door to discharge said bag'.

2. In a device o'tl the class described, the combination with a car having an opening in the side wall thereof, of a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening, means for supporting a mail bag' within the car resting against said door, means for releasing' said door, allowing' it to fall open, and means for supportingv the door in its open position at a downwardly inclined angle to discharge the mail bag.

3. In a device ot` the class described, the combination with a car having' an opening in the side wall thereof. o't` a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening', means 'lor supporting' a mail bag within the ear resting against said door, means Ator releasing' said door allowing' it to tall open, means lor supporting the door in its open position at a downwardly inclined angle to discharge the lnail bag, and vertical side [langes on said door constituting a chute.

4l. In a. device ot the class described, the combination wit-l1 a car having an opening in the side wall thereof, oit a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening', a downwardly tapering' chute within the car for supporting' a mail bag resting against said door, and means for releasing the door to discharge the bag.

5. ln a device ot' the class described, the combination with a car having an opening in the side wall thereof, o't` a door' hinged at the bottom normally closing' said opening, a casing or chute closely surrounding said opening' and having its inner wall within the car extending inwardly and upwardly from the bottom otl said opening, the said chute being' adapted to admit a mail bag' at its upper end, and means Jfor releasing said door to discharge the bag'.

t3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car having' an opening in the side wall thereof, of a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening, a cylinder on said car` a piston therein having' a rod extending therefrom, connections between said rod and door t'or turning said door on its hinge to its open or closed position, a compressed air supply, valve mechanism 'for controlling the supply ol compressed air to said cylinder, and means operated by a trip on the track for operating said valve mechanism.

T. In a device ot the class described, the combination with a ear having an opening in the side wall thereoit', of a door hinged at the bottom normally closing said opening', mechanism connected to said door for turning it to closed or open position, a spring tit) for operating said mechanism to close the door, a compressed air supply, and means for operating said mechanism by said compressed air to open said door.

S. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of means for catching a mail bag, means for discharging a mail bag, mechanism for simultaneously and positively operating said catching and discharging means, connections whereby said mechanism may be set in operation by a third rail, and means within the car under the control of the operator to render said connections inoperative to discharge a mail bag.

9. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of means for catching a mail bag, means for discharging` a mail bag, mechanism for simultaneously and positively operating said catching and discharging means, a compressed air supply, a single compressed air motor for operating said mechanism, connections for automatially setting such motor in operation from a third rail, and means within the car under the control of the operator to reiider'the motor inoperative under the action of said automatic means.

10. 1n device of the class described, the combination with a car, of means for catching a mail bag, means for discharging a mail bag, mechanism for simultaneously and positively operating said catchingand discharging means, a single compressed air motor for operating said mechanism, and connections for supplying said motor with compressed air independent of the train air brake pipe.

11. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of means for catching a mail bag, means for discharging a mail bag, mechanism for sin'iultaneously and positively operating said catching and discharging means, a single compressed air motor for operating said mechanism, and connections for supplying said motor with compressed air from the excess auxiliary air pipe independent of the train air brake pipe.

12. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of means for catching a mail bag, means for discharging a mail bag, mechanism for simultaneously and positively operating said catching and discharging means, a compressed air supply, means for operating said mechanism by said compressed air, automatic means for controlling the supply of compressed air to said mechanism, and manually controlled means for operating said mechanism when the supply of air fails.

13. 1n a device of the class described, the combination with mail bag operating mechanism, of a compressed air supply, a cylinder, automatic means for connecting said suppl) to one end of said cylinder, a piston in said vcylinder connected to operate said mail bag and a manually concylinder for presaid cyloperating mechanism, trolled exhaust for said venting operative air pressure in inder.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with the car having a door, of a mail bag receiving arm pivotally mounted at the outer edge of the door facing, means on said arm for retaining the mail bag when caught, means for turning said arm to operative position from within the car while the door is shut, and a handle on said arm for turning said arm manually through the open door, the said handle being adapted to fold so that it will not hit the door in turning when the doo-r is closed.

15. ln a device of the class described, the combination with the car having a door, of rot-ary bearings mounted atthe outer edge of said door facing, means for turning one of said bearings from within the car without opening the door, a shaft carrying a mail bag catching arm adapted to removably engage said bearings, and means for making it rotate with .said bearing.

1G. 1n a device of the class described, the combination with the car having a door, of rotary bearings having longitudinal openings mounted in said door opening, and a mail bag catching arm mounted on a shaft adapted to be inserted in and removed from the openings in said bearings by loiigitudinal movement, and means for securing said shaft` in the bearings.

17. 1n a device of the class described, the combination Vith a car, of means on each side of the car for simultaneously catching and discharging mail bags, a set of levers on each side of the car connected together to operate said catching and discharging means, a single motor for operating both sets of levers, and means for disconnecting either set of levers from said motor.

18. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of mail bag mechanism, means for operating said mechanism by compressed air, pipes for conveying said air, a valve carried by the car truck comprising a casing having a vertical chamber provided oii its sides with inlet and outlet pipe connections, a vertically movable valve plug fitting said chamber adapted to normally close said connections, a valve stem extending downwardly from said plug and adapted to be raised by contact with a third rail to open communication between said connections and flexible pipes joining said connections on the casing to the air pipes on the car.

19. In a device of the class described, the combination with a mail car, of a downwardly and outwardly inclined mail bag chute discharging through the wall near the floor of the car at one side, the top of said chute being of convenient height to receive the bags from the hands of the mail clerk, and means for releasing said bags 'from said chute.

20. .In u device of the class described, the combination with a mail car, of a dowir Wardly and outwardly inclined mail bag chute discharging through the Wall near Jshe Hoor of the enr at one side, the said chute being made in sections adapted to be removed or 'folded against; the side of the enr.

In testimony whereof I ufix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALTER NV. KILPATRICK. Witnesses:

Lewin' ARNOLD, HARVEY HILL. 

